Previous Updates
June 2011
The June update included the following new content to enhance Oxford Islamic Studies Online
- Expanded arts coverage with the addition of over 200 new articles from the esteemed Oxford resource The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture
- More than 20 new primary source documetns covering the arts, music, poetry, and short stories.
- Two new lesson plans, one titled "Islam in East Africa" and the second, "Contemporary Salafi Movements", which analyzes the reemergence of Salafism in modern Islamist politics.
- Two new thematic guides, the first on the Sunni-Shia Conflict and the second on the Ottoman Empire, one of the world's greatest gunpowder empires.
- The Focus On for this update, by Natan J. DeLong-Bas, explored the connection between social media and the recent uprisings in the Middle East.
February 2011
The February update included the following new content to enhance Oxford Islamic Studies Online:
- Further expansion of arts coverage with the addition of 200 new articles and 25 images from the esteemed Oxford resource The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture (2009)
- Twenty-five new primary source documents have been added demonstrating the various ways scholars in the Islamic world have interpreted the word "reform.", including essays such as "The Way of Life" and "The Rights of Women", written in the wake of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 by Sayyid Ahmad Khan, who sought to foster a dialogue between Muslims and the West.
- A Focus On essay in which Natana J. DeLong-Bas examined the progress that Saudi Arabia has made in the last decade and discusses the challenges it continues to face on issues of human rights, women’s rights, and intra– and interfaith dialogue.
October 2010
The October update included the following new tools and resources to enhance Oxford Islamic Studies Online:
- Further expansion of arts coverage with the addition of 150 new articles and 67 images from the esteemed Oxford resource The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture (2009)
- A new lesson plan, in which Fred R. von der Mehden provides a framework for discussing key aspects of Islam in Southeast Asia, including syncretic Islam and political and religious pluralism
- A new Letter from the Editor, in which Editor in Chief John L. Esposito addressed the recent hot topic of "Islamophobia", examining the definition and origins of the term and its frequent use in the American media
- A Focus On essay in which Jordan Morreall, Tamara Sonn, and Laura Thomas explored the world of underground Muslim music – from metal to hip-hop – and its use as a form of political expression and protest
May 2010
The May update included the following new tools and resources to enhance Oxford Islamic Studies Online:
- Further expansion of arts coverage with the addition of 75 new articles and 30 images from the esteemed Oxford resource The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture (2009)
- Two new lesson plans, in which Kiki Kennedy-Day provides a plan for discussing feminist interpretations of the Qur’an, and John O. Voll offers guidance on constructing a course section covering Islamic modernism
- A new Letter from the Editor, in which Editor in Chief John L. Esposito addressed the people, questions, and struggles involved in Islamic reform
- A Focus On essay by scholar Greg Barton considering the legacy of former Indonesian president and Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid, known as Gus Dur, in the wake of his recent passing
March 2010
The March update included the following new tools and resources to enhance Oxford Islamic Studies Online:
- Expanded arts coverage with the addition of 80 new articles and 40 images from the esteemed Oxford resource The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture (2009)
- The first lesson plan on the site, from Amir Hussain of Loyola Marymount University, on constructing a course section covering Islam in North America
- A new thematic guide from Andrew Rippin of the University of Victoria discussing the methods of exploring the content of the Qur’an by means of the Concordance of the Qur’an by Hanna Kassis, available in electronic form only on Oxford Islamic Studies Online
- A Focus On essay by deputy editor Natana J. DeLong-Bas examining how interfaith dialogue can be used as a tool to avoid violent conflict
November 2009
The November update included the first infusion of content from The Grove Encyclopedia of the Islamic Art and Architecture (2009), as well as the following:
- New thematic guide from editorial board member John Voll of Georgetown University on the interaction between Islam and Modernism and how modernization and changes in society inspired a reform movement to integrate Islam and modern life
- Timeline updated to include events occurring through 2009, such as President Barack Obama’s historic speech in Cairo
- A Focus On essay by editorial board member Shahrough Akhavi examining the fascinating and extremely topical relationship between Islam and democracy
- A letter from Editor in Chief John L. Esposito discussing President Obama’s efforts to open a dialogue with the Muslim world
April 2009
The April update concluded the addition of content from The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World (March 2009).
- Over 300 new and revised articles from The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, taking the total number of Encyclopedia articles to 1,075. New articles include Abraham, Baghdad, al-Jazeera, Palestine, and Taliban.
- Over 300 new maps, images, and dynastic charts from The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World.
- A new Focus On essay by editorial board member Ibrahim Kalin looks at the contested history of Islam and the West.
- A commentary from Editor in Chief John L. Esposito on Islam and secularism.
October 2008
This month brought a wealth of new content to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, including:
- An additional 300 new and revised articles from The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World (March 2009), expanding our coverage of people, places, events, and concepts from all periods of Islamic history
- Approximately 50 new images of art, architecture, and individuals from the Islamic world
- A new thematic guide, The Geography of the Islamic World, which provides quick and easy access to more than 40 full-color maps and 20 thematic articles selected from the Atlas of the World's Religions
- A new Focus On essay by editorial board specialist James Piscatori, "Islamists in Power"
- Commentary from Editor in Chief John L. Esposito on the religious observance of Ramadan
May 2008
This major update to Oxford Islamic Studies Online added an impressive breadth of new content and enhanced functionality:
- 20 articles and 40 full-color maps have been selected from the latest edition of the Ninian Smart and Federick Denny Atlas of the World's Religions. Including text edited by Simonetta Calderini, the article and maps from this work provide valuable historical and geographical insights into the origins of Islam, its growth into the world's second-largest religion, and the global influence and presence of Islam today.
- Over 200 new and revised articles from the forthcoming The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World expand coverage of people, places, events and concepts from all periods of Islamic history.
- A new Focus On essay by scholar and editorial board member Tamara Sonn, "What is Shariʿah?"
- New images of art, architecture, and individuals
- Images and Maps Search: the Image search has been enhanced to accommodate the new Atlas maps. This advanced search now offers options to locate all visual material, or to confine a search to "images" or "maps" only.
